Gilbert gelato shop a treat for the eyes

by John Stanley - Nov. 18, 2011 02:15 PMThe Arizona Republic

The colors strike you first.

The display case at Frost: A Gelato Shoppe is full of lemon yellows, watermelon pinks and deep berry reds, along with shades of chocolate and cream. The colorful gelatos and sorbets are sculpted into stiff, meringue-like waves and delicate curlicues, all garnished with flowers and fruit.

The emphasis on presentation is no accident at Frost, which opened in the SanTan Village in July.

"Customers eat first with their eyes," said Doug Woelfle, who owns the Gilbert gelateria with his wife, Rowena. "(The display) makes the customers go 'wow.' Every day we see that look on their faces."

The Woelfles liken the shop to a jewelry store, their vibrant pans of gelato the jewels.

The shop itself is an austere mix of subtle blues and frosted whites, deliberately designed so as not to detract from the colors of the gelato and sorbet.

There are four tables inside and five outside. A few austere paintings add to the shop's open, elegant feel.

In addition to the 40 or so flavors of gelato and sorbets they offer daily, the Woelfles also sell a selection of beverages, such as the sorbetini, a sorbet mixed with San Pellegrino sparkling water.

"We pride ourselves on doing everything the way they do in Italy," Doug said, noting that all the equipment in the shop was imported from there, as are most of the ingredients. "What our customers can expect is a genuine Italian experience."

Jeff Kaiserman and Stephen Ochoa, of Tucson, own the Frost franchise.

The friends, who have known each other since the second grade, started thinking about what kind of business they could operate together when they were seniors at the University of Arizona, but couldn't settle on a plan.

A few months after graduation, Kaiserman's father suggested a gelato shop and, after researching the possibilities and procuring the services of master gelato chef Nazario Melchionda, they opened their first shop near Ina and Oracle roads in north Tucson in 2005. A couple of years later they opened another near Sabino Canyon and Tanque Verde roads, and about a year after that they opened their third location at the La Encantata shopping center.

"Our goal is to expand on a national level," Kaiserman said. "But our philosophy is to grow slow. We don't want to rush anything."

The Woelfles' daughter, Kristina, who manages employee training in the Gilbert shop, went to the UA, where she met Kaiserman and Ochoa.

The Woelfles opened the company's first franchise outside Tucson; they expect to open more. Another shop opened earlier this month in Chicago, and one is slated to open in Albuquerque in March.

"Our main focus is on the quality of the product," Ochoa said, "making sure all the recipes Nazario creates can be replicated in Chicago the same way they are in Gilbert, so when a customer comes in they'll have the same wonderful experience."

Before they could open their shop, the Woelfles had weeks of training under the watchful eye of Melchionda, who has remained with Frost since his "temporary" consultation seven years ago.

"(The training) was one of the hardest things I've ever done," said Rowena.

Melchionda would not accept anything unless it looked just like it does in Italy, Doug said, adding that his attention to detail was extraordinary. "His emphasis is more on making a perfect product than simply making as much (gelato) as you can sell," Doug said.

The Woelfles' final exam was duplicating a complete day in the life of a gelato shop.

"It was nerve-wracking," Doug said, "but we didn't fail. We wouldn't have opened if we couldn't pass."

The Woelfles are convinced that gelato is here to stay.

"For $20 a family of five can come in and enjoy a fresh, handmade treat," Doug said. "That's very reasonable."

Their top-selling flavors are Sea Salt Caramel and Dark Chocolate. Raspberry, pineapple and blueberry cabernet are among the most popular flavors of sorbet.

They introduce a couple of new flavors every month. Melchionda travels to Italy at least once a year to check their market, and he creates new recipes regularly.

"One of the nice things about gelato," Kaiserman said, "is you can make one pan at a time as a test and your customer feedback is immediate."

Frost Bites, a sort of gelato bonbon dipped in Italian chocolate, is another popular item at the shop.

"People love them because they taste good and they can be purchased ahead of time and taken to events," Rowena said.

The Woelfles have 15 part-time employees.

Shannon Park, a senior at Gilbert High School, has been with them since the shop opened. She said her favorite part of the job is the interaction with the customers.

"About 25 percent of our customers have never heard of gelato," she said. "So it's fun to see them try something new. And they all like it."